Arion

Arion was a famous musician, and dwelt at the court of Periander,king of Corinth, with whom he was a great favorite. There was tobe a musical contest in Sicily, and Arion longed to compete forthe prize. He told his wish to Periander, who besought him likea brother to give up the thought. "Pray stay with me," he said,"and be contented. He who strives to win may lose." Arionanswered, "A wandering life best suits the free heart of a poet.The talent which a god bestowed on me, I would fain make a sourceof pleasure to others. And if I win the prize, how will theenjoyment of it be increased by the consciousness of my wide-spread fame!" He went, won the prize, and embarked with hiswealth in a Corinthian ship for home. On the second morningafter setting sail, the wind breathed mild and fair. "Oh,Periander," he exclaimed, "dismiss your fears! Soon shall youforget them in my embrace. With what lavish offerings will wedisplay our gratitude to the gods, and how merry will we be atthe festal board!" The wind and sea continued propitious. Not acloud dimmed the firmament. He had not trusted too much to theocean, but he had to man. He overheard the seamen exchanginghints with one another, and found they were plotting to possessthemselves of his treasure. Presently they surrounded him loudand mutinous, and said, "Arion, you must die! If you would havea grave on shore, yield yourself to die on this spot; but ifotherwise, cast yourself into the sea." "Will nothing satisfyyou but my life?" said he. "Take my gold, and welcome. Iwillingly buy my life at that price." "No, no; we cannot spareyou. Your life will be too dangerous to us. Where could we goto escape from Periander, if he should know that you had beenrobbed by us? Your gold would be of little use to us, if, onreturning home, we could never more be free from fear." "Grantme, then," said he, "a last request, since nought will avail tosave my life, that I may die as I have lived, as becomes a bard.When I shall have sung my death-song, and my harp-strings shallcease to vibrate, then I will bid farewell to life, and yielduncomplaining to my fate." This prayer, like the others, wouldhave been unheeded, they thought only of their booty, but tohear so famous a musician, that moved their rude hearts. "Sufferme," he added, "to arrange my dress. Apollo will not favor meunless I be clad in my minstrel garb."

He clothed his well-proportioned limbs in gold and purple fair tosee, his tunic fell around him in graceful folds, jewels adornedhis arms, his brow was crowned with a golden wreath, and over hisneck and shoulders flowed his hair perfumed with odors. His lefthand held the lyre, his right the ivory wand with which he struckits chords. Like one inspired, he seemed to drink the morningair and glitter in the morning ray. The seamen gazed withadmiration. He strode forward to the vessel's side and lookeddown into the blue sea. Addressing his lyre, he sang, "Companionof my voice, come with me to the realm of shades. ThoughCerberus may growl, we know the power of song can tame his rage.Ye heroes of Elysium, who have passed the darkling flood, yehappy souls, soon shall I join your band. Yet can ye relieve mygrief? Alas, I leave my friend behind me. Thou, who didst findthy Eurydice, and lose her again as soon as found; when she hadvanished like a dream, how didst thou hate the cheerful light! Imust away, but I will not fear. The gods look down upon us. Yewho slay me unoffending, when I am no more, your time oftrembling shall come. Ye Nereids, receive your guest, who throwshimself upon your mercy!" So saying, he sprang into the deepsea. The waves covered him, and the seamen held on their way,fancying themselves safe from all danger of detection.

But the strains of his music had drawn round him the inhabitantsof the deep to listen, and dolphins followed the ship as ifchained by a spell. While he struggled in the waves, a dolphinoffered him his back, and carried him mounted thereon safe toshore. At the spot where he landed, a monument of brass wasafterwards erected upon the rocky shore, to preserve the memoryof the event.

When Arion and the dolphin parted, each to his own element, Arionthus poured forth his thanks. "Farewell, thou faithful, friendlyfish! Would that I could reward thee; but thou canst not wendwith me, nor I with thee. Companionship we may not have. MayGalatea, queen of the deep, accord thee her favor, and thou,proud of the burden, draw her chariot over the smooth mirror ofthe deep."

Arion hastened from the shore, and soon saw before him the towersof Corinth. He journeyed on, harp in hand, singing as he went,full of love and happiness, forgetting his losses, and mindfulonly of what remained, his friend and his lyre. He entered thehospitable halls, and was soon clasped in the embrace ofPeriander. "I come back to thee, my friend," he said. "Thetalent which a god bestowed has been the delight of thousands,but false knaves have stripped me of my well-earned treasure; yetI retain the consciousness of wide-spread fame." Then he toldPeriander all the wonderful events that had befallen him, whoheard him with amazement. "Shall such wickedness triumph?" saidhe. "Then in vain is power lodged in my hands. That we maydiscover the criminals, you must remain here in concealment, andso they will approach without suspicion." When the ship arrivedin the harbor, he summoned the mariners before him. "Have youheard anything of Arion?" he inquired. "I anxiously look for hisreturn." They replied, "We left him well and prosperous inTarentum." As they said these words, Arion stepped forth andfaced them. His well proportioned limbs were arrayed in gold andpurple fair to see, his tunic fell around him in graceful folds,jewels adorned his arms, his brow was crowned with a goldenwreath, and over his neck and shoulders flowed his hair perfumedwith odors; his left hand held the lyre, his right the ivory wandwith which he struck its chords. They fell prostrate at hisfeet, as if a lightning bolt had struck them. "We meant tomurder him, and he has become a god. O Earth, open and receiveus!" Then Periander spoke. "He lives, the master of the lay!Kind Heaven protects the poet's life. As for you, I invoke notthe spirit of vengeance; Arion wishes not your blood. Ye slavesof avarice, begone! Seek some barbarous land, and never mayaught beautiful delight your souls!"

Spencer represents Arion, mounted on his dolphin, accompanyingthe train of Neptune and Amphitrite:

"Then was there heard a most celestial soundOf dainty music which did next ensue,And, on the floating waters as enthroned,Arion with his harp unto him drewThe ears and hearts of all that goodly crew;Even when as yet the dolphin which him boreThrough the Aegean Seas from pirates' view,Stood still, by him astonished at his love,And all the raging seas for joy forgot to roar."

Byron, in his Childe Harold, Canto II., alludes to the story ofArion, when, describing his voyage, he represents one of theseamen making music to entertain the rest:

"The moon is up; by Heaven, a lovely eve!Long streams of light o'er dancing waves expand;Now lads on shore may sigh and maids believe;Such be our fate when we return to land!Meantime some rude Arion's restless handWakes the brisk harmony that sailors love;A circle there of merry listeners stand,Or to some well-known measure featly moveThoughtless as if on shore they still were free to rove."